Washing-machine.



' No. 707,693. Pafented Au 26, 1902.

J. G. GIBBS.

WASHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. GIBBS, OF NEMAIIA, IO\VA.

WASHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 707,693, dated August 26, 1902.-

Application filed April 21, 1902.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. GIBBS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ne maha, in the county of Sac and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful IVashing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in washing-machines.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of washing-machines and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efticient one capable of rapidly and thoroughly washing clothes \vithout'injuring the fabrics and adapted to be readily adjusted to arrange it for operating on the clothes or other fabrics when a tub or receptacle is filled to a greater or less extent.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings. and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a washing-machine constructed in ac-- cordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same, the plunger being supported in an elevated position by the lever.

Like n umerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a frame mountedon a lid or" cover 2 of a washtub or receptacle 3 and composed of uprights or bars and a top connecting bar or piece 4, having a central opening 5, through which passes a vertically-movable rod or stem 6 of a clothes-pounder 7. The lid 2, which may be of any desired construction, is hinged at one side of the tub or receptacle at 8, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and it is adapted to be swung backward to lift the clothes-pounder out of the tub and to afford access to the latter.

The clothes-pounders, which may be of any desired construction, are mounted on a horizontal bar 9, and they may be of any desired number. The rod or stem 6 also extends through a central perforation of the cover, and it is provided at its upper end'with a suitable head 10, arranged to engage the top of the upright frame to limit the downward movement of the clothes-pounder to prevent -or other receptacle.

semi No. 103,962. (No m elthe same from striking the bottom of the tub The clothes pounder or plungeris adapted to be raised by the means hereinafter described, which permit the said pounder or plunger to drop upon the clothes and force air, water, and suds through them,

whereby the clothes are rapidly and thoroughly washed.

Mounted upon the vertically-movable rod or stem is a horizontal disk 11, adjustably secured to the rod or stem by a set-screw 12, arranged to engage a longitudinal groove 13, whereby the disk is prevented from rotating independently of the rod or stem. The disk during the operation of the washing-machine is adapted to be alternately engaged by a pair of approximately L-shaped arms or cranks 14, extending in opposite direction from the inner end of a shaft 15, which is journaled in suitable bearings of a support or frame 16. The bearing frame or support 16, which may be of any desired construction, is preferably composed of a pair of uprights or bars and a connecting top piece, and the horizontal shaft is provided at its outer end with a suitable device for rotating it, such as a crank-handle 17, or the like. The inner end of the shaft is provided with a disk or head 18, from which the arms extend. The bearing-frame is located at one side of the guide-frame 1, and the L-shaped arms or cranks, which are adapted to alternately engage the lower face of the horizontal disk 11, are capable of lifting the same and of partially rotating the disk to carry the pounders over different portions of the clothes or other fabrics, so that the clothes will be thoroughly and uniformly operated on by the machine. The clothes pounder or plunger is partially rotated at each operation of it, the upward movement of the horizontal portion of each L-shaped arm 14 serving to liftthe clothes pounder or plunger and the approximately horizontal movement of the same as the horizontal portion of the arm 14 swings over the top of the shaft operating to partially rotate the disk or plate and to carry the armoutward beyondthe same, whereby the pounder or plunger will be caused to fall upon the clothes.

When it is desired to openthe washingmachine, the clothes pounder or plunger is elevated and is supported in an elevated position by means of a lever 19, fulcrumed between its ends on one side of the guide-frame 1 and adapted to be oscillated from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that illustrated in Fig. 2 to raise the plunger or pounder to permit the lid to be raised without the plunger or pounder coming in contact with the sides of the tub. The lever is locked in an upright position by means of an upper catch 20, and it is secured in the position shown in Fig. 2 by a lower catch 21, consisting of a pair of resilient coils forming clamping-jaws to receive the lever and having their terminals suitably secured to the lid or cover; When the lever is swung downward, the coils are slightly spread and they are adapted to firmly clamp the lever and they permit the lever to be readily swung upward out of engagement with the lower catch when the necessary force is applied.

It will be seen that the washing-machine is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it is adapted to be readilyoperated, and that the clothes pounder or plunger, which is carried by the lid or cover, is securely held in an elevated position while the washing-machine is being opened and closed. Furthermore, it will be clear that as the disk or plate is adjustable on the guide rod or stem of the plunger or pounder the latter is adapted to be readily arranged to operate properly on the quantity of clothes or other fabrics within the Washing-machine body.

What I claim is 1. In a washing-machine, the combination with a receptacle having a cover, of a frame mounted thereon, a pounder or plunger having a rod guided on the frame, a disk mounted on the rod, alever fulcrumed on the frame and arranged to engage the disk to hold the pounder or plunger elevated, a catch mounted on the cover and provided with resilient coils forming jaws for engaging the lever, and means for holding the lever out of engagement with the disk, substantially as described.

2. In a Washing-machine, the combination with a receptacle, of a guide-frame, a pounder or plunger having a rod guided on the frame, a disk mounted on the rod, a lever fulcrumed on the guide-frame and arranged to engage the disk to hold the pounder or plunger elevated, and means for holding the lever in and out of engagement with the disk, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES G. GIBBS.

Vitnesses:

CHAS. TOWNSEND, D. W. GRAFF. 

